August 30th

Residents of East Timor voted for independence from Indonesia in a U.N.-sponsored ballot.

'The Late Show with David Letterman' premiered on CBS.

Azerbaijan Declares its Independence. The Central Asian country had been a part of the Soviet Union since 1920. In December 1991, a referendum was held to make the country’s independence from the USSR official.

President George H.W. Bush told a news conference that a 'new world order' could emerge from the Persian Gulf crisis.

A federal jury in New York found 'hotel queen' Leona Helmsley guilty of income tax evasion but acquitted her of extortion.

Guion S. Bluford Jr. became the first African-American astronaut to travel in space when he blasted off aboard the space shuttle Challenger.

The Senate confirmed the appointment of Thurgood Marshall as the first African-American justice on the Supreme Court.

The album 'Highway 61 Revisited' by Bob Dylan was released.

A hot line between the Kremlin and the White House went into operation to reduce the chances of an accidental war.

Gen. Douglas MacArthur arrived in Japan and set up Allied occupation headquarters.

Nazi forces began a siege of Leningrad during World War II that lasted nearly two and a half years.

Jawaharlal Nehru requests independence of India.

Baseball Hall of Famer Ted Williams was born in San Diego.

Baseball Hall of Famer Ty Cobb made his major league debut with the Detroit Tigers.

Huey P. Long, the 'Kingfish' of Louisiana politics, was born in Winn Parish, La.

Union forces were defeated by the Confederates at the Second Battle of Bull Run in Manassas, Va.

'Frankenstein' author Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley was born in London.

Tokugawa Ieyasu enters Edo Castle. (Traditional Japanese date: August 1, 1590).

Beginning of the Battle of Lake Poyang. two Chinese rebel leaders Chen Youliang and Zhu Yuanzhang are pitted against each other in what was one of the largest naval battles in history during Mongol-led Yuan Dynasty

European leaders outlaw crossbow, intending to end war for all time.